Integrated circuit comprising an integrated transformer of the “BALUN” type with several input and output channels

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes an integrated transformer of the balanced-to-unbalanced type with N channels, wherein N is greater than 2. The integrated transformer includes, on a substrate, N inductive circuits that are mutually inductively coupled, and respectively associated with N channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
 an integrated transformer of the balanced-to-unbalanced type with three channels, the integrated transformer comprising three inductive circuits on a substrate that are mutually-inductively coupled, and respectively associated with the three channels, wherein a first one of the inductive circuits includes a first set of terminals configured for connection to an antenna, wherein a second one of the inductive circuits includes a second set of terminals configured for connection to an output of a signal transmitting circuit and a third one of the inductive circuits includes a third set of terminals configured for connection to an input of a signal receiving circuit, the integrated transformer supporting duplexed signal use of the antenna by the signal transmitting and signal receiving circuits. 
 
     
     
       2. The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one channel comprises at least one capacitor connected in parallel to the corresponding inductive circuit. 
     
     
       3. The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the three inductive circuits are coplanar. 
     
     
       4. The integrated circuit according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least two coplanar inductive circuits is interleaved in one of the other at least two coplanar inductive circuits. 
     
     
       5. The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the three inductive circuits is stacked on at least one other of the three inductive circuits. 
     
     
       6. A transceiver device, comprising:
 an antenna, 
 a power amplifier transmit circuit, 
 a low-noise amplifier receive circuit, and 
 an integrated transformer of the balanced-to-unbalanced type with three channels, the integrated transformer comprising three inductive circuits supported on an integrated circuit substrate that are mutually-inductively coupled, and respectively associated with the three channels, 
 wherein the integrated transformer comprises a first inductive circuit having a first pair of terminals connected to the antenna, a second inductive circuit having a second pair of terminals coupled to an output of the power amplifier transmit circuit and a third inductive circuit having a third pair of terminals coupled to an input of the low-noise amplifier receive circuit. 
 
     
     
       7. The transceiver device according to  claim 6 , wherein the transceiver device is a wireless communication device. 
     
     
       8. The transceiver device according to  claim 6 , wherein the inductive circuits, power amplifier transmit circuit and low-noise amplifier receive circuit are supported by said integrated circuit substrate. 
     
     
       9. The transceiver device of  claim 8 , wherein the inductive circuits are formed in one or more metallization layers overlying the integrated circuit substrate. 
     
     
       10. The transceiver device of  claim 8 , wherein each inductive circuit comprises a circuit loop. 
     
     
       11. The transceiver device of  claim 10 , wherein at least two of the circuit loops of the inductive circuits are interleaved. 
     
     
       12. The transceiver device of  claim 10 , wherein at least two of the circuit loops of the inductive circuits are stacked. 
     
     
       13. The transceiver device of  claim 8 , further including at least one capacitor coupled in parallel with at least one of the inductive circuits. 
     
     
       14. The transceiver device according to  claim 6 , wherein the integrated transformer supports duplexed signal use of the antenna by the power amplifier transmit circuit and the low-noise amplifier receive circuit.